Italian cuisine dominates the dining scene today, but here and there you can locate a good French bistro. I’ve also discovered that many folks on the Upper East Side eat early. By 6:30, tables at small restaurants will all be taken. Here’s a selection of Manhattan restaurants we’ve enjoyed this past month, most that I haven’t previously covered.
This is a small French restaurant that was always full when we would walk by. Over the Memorial Day weekend, it was practically empty enabling us to easily book a table. We weren’t in the mood for a big meal and found the appetizer section of the menu much to our liking. My goat cheese and tomato tart on puff pastry was scrumptious while the Chief Penguin ordered and liked their famous tuna tart.
He followed his tart with the salmon croque monsieur which was rich and mouth-filling. I opted for the spinach, pine nut and parmesan salad which was enhanced by a generous number of avocado slices. With these two smaller dishes, delicate gougeres, and some wonderful holey olive bread, we were very content!
This cozy French bistro is popular and we were pleased that we arrived a bit ahead of our 7 pm reservation. The Chief Penguin ordered the beet and endive salad graced with a few walnut halves which was both very pretty and very tasty. He then had the skate which was on the dry side, while I sampled the roasted cod over vegetable risotto and a yellow pepper puree, a yummy combination. Bread pudding is his one weakness (to quote a TV character who had many “one weaknesses”) and this rendition was appropriately satisfying.
This is one of the many Italian restaurants around. Brick side walls and a sea of white linens on small tables make for a charming ambience. Service is old style male waiters who recite the specials with dramatic briskness. Listen carefully or you’ll need a repeat. We shared a Caesar salad which was just right. I then ordered the special swordfish entrée, Livorno style or bathed in a tomato-based sauce with capers and black olives. It came with a vegetable medley and some roast potatoes. The Chief Penguin tried their veal saltimbocca which was good, but not the equal of the version we get in Maine. In addition to meat and fish entrees, there’s a good selection of pasta dishes. This is another very popular eatery and one will visit again.
This red gravy+ Italian restaurant is a locus for family groups. We dined here the night before Mother’s Day and thought that was the reason for all the tables with families with small children. Apparently, not; this is a regular occurrence. It’s a boisterous dining experience so avoid it if you were looking for a quiet meal. That said, the service was pleasant and efficient and our food very good.
Most dishes are offered in half and full portions with full designed to serve 2-3. Believe the menu, they are large and will! We ordered the full Caesar salad and would have been equally happy with a half portion. It’s prepared table side and the dressing was a lovely balance between piquant and mellow and not over garlicky. We then ordered half portions of veal saltimbocca (Chief Penguin), which here was topped with some sautéed spinach, and the veal piccata. The latter was lovely with just the right tang of lemon in the sauce.
The crusty bread was perfect with the veal dishes, but if you wanted potatoes or a veggie, then you had to order a side. They have a full bar (one Old Fashioned coming up!) and wines by the glass. In the interest of full disclosure, it was good enough that we returned the next night (it was raining and the restaurant close by) for another dinner, and this time asked to sit upstairs which was a less frenetic scene.
We had no dinner plans and decided to just stroll and see what might tickle our fancy. Almost a misnomer with its dark wood interior, dark bar and tables, Beach Café on Second Avenue feels cozy and perfect for a cold winter’s day. But they have outside tables and a whale on the wall that evokes Nantucket or some other east coast beach. We opted for inside and were most pleased with the service from waiter Nick, a poised young man with a welcome beyond his years. My pan roasted salmon with broccoli and mashed potatoes was perfectly prepared. Even the broccoli was just the right amount of doneness. The Chief Penguin’s chicken compagna platter could have easily fed a lobsterman and came with a side of spaghetti with a slightly spicy and smoky sauce.
This West Village French bistro is a longtime favorite of ours and never fails to please. We like it so much, we often order the same entrees time and again. This time I tried the roast chicken rather than the chicken paillard and substituted mixed vegetables for the french fries. The chicken was perfectly done with nicely crisped skin, and the vegetable medley of carrot cubes, spinach leaves, asparagus tips and green beans was healthy and flavorful. The Chief Penguin again opted for the merguez sausages with fries and enjoyed them as much as on previous visits. We don’t care for mussels, but if you do, they are one of their specialities.
I have enthused and enthused about this favorite of ours so suffice it to say, we returned for a third meal and were once again delighted! Alas for us, it has been discovered and wait times are long—-unless you deign to dine at unfashionable times, which we do.
Note: Contents and photos ©JWFarrington.
